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Monthly Archives: January 2012

The Super Bowl isn’t just about the game and commercials. The FOOD is one of the best parts about Super Bowl! I always enjoy doing something different from chips and pizza.

Stuffed bell peppers are delicious and filling! You can be creative with stuffed bell peppers and make them in various sizes depending on your event. The ones I made are filled with ground turkey, brown and wild rice, and fresh seasonings but you can use ground round, chicken sausage, or make it all vegetables. Additionally, you can cut the bell peppers in half to serve at your Super Bowl party or just the way they are in the above picture.

Ingredients: Makes 6

6 Bell Peppers (orange, yellow, red & green)

1 1/2 lbs Ground Turkey

2 Cups wild & brown rice (Uncle Ben’s Instant)

1 Can corn

1/2 Cup freshly chopped Italian parsley

4 Large basil leaves chopped

1 Teaspoon oregano

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon black pepper

2 Teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Pam non stick cooking spray

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and cut bell peppers top and trim bottoms so they lay flat. Place hollowed-out peppers in a baking dish that you’ve sprayed with Pam. Cook rice according to package or use a rice cooker.

Stuff the filling into the bell peppers, using a spoon to press the mixture down so it’s tightly packed. Bake for 25 minutes and remove. Add mozzarella to the top of each bell pepper and place back in the oven for 5 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve with twice bake potato cups.

Twice Baked Potato Cups

Ingredients: Makes 12

6-8 Red new potatoes

1/4 Cup sour cream

3 Tablespoons light butter

8 Bacon slices

1/2 Cup Italian parsley

1/3 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Teaspoons salt

2 Teaspoons pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes and rub with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 35 minutes until tender when poked with a fork. Remove potatoes and cool. While cooling, cook bacon in skillet and brown with pepper.

When potatoes have cooled mash them and add salt, pepper, sour cream, butter, parsley, and cooked bacon. Scoop mixture into a muffin/cupcake tin lined with paper cupcake wrappers. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and bake for another 3-5 minutes or until cheese has melted.

I enjoy a hearty salad that is still light in calories, especially in the winter. This pear and chicken sausage spinach salad is an easy 20 minute meal to prepare.

Ingredients: Makes 4

1 Bag of baby spinach

4 Chicken sausages

2 Bosc pears

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1 Tablespoon honey

Goat Cheese

Slice and cook chicken sausages either on the grill or in the skillet for 8-12 minute on medium. In a small bowl add honey and Dijon Mustard and stir until you have desired dressing consistency.

Slice the pears. Mix spinach, chicken sausage slices, and sliced pears in a large bowl. Place salad on individual plates and add goat cheese and dressing. Ready to serve. If you want to mix this up you can use spicy or bacon chicken sausage.

From top to bottom, this was a fun and vibrant first birthday party to plan. Tripp is one of the most happiest babies I know and was entertained by all the details!

Inspiration for the “Dexton Silver Racer” themed party came from Tripp’s parents Lory and Hampton, who had planned to give him the Racer for his birthday. In addition, his parents wanted to do a desert bar themed party, which is perfect for this occasion.

Using the colors from the race car: silver, white, and black, we added a punch of red to make the event pop. Color was in all the details from the dessert bar, to the red and white pom poms, to the flower arrangements, to the happy birthday banner, to the red Radio Flyer wagon which was used to display the gifts. Even the invitation gave a preview of the color scheme. We added red and white polka dot pinwheels to the food and drink stations to make the party whimsical as well as large red and white balloons.

In staying true to the Dexton Silver Racer theme we used tags such as “Start Your Engines” on the wreath at the front door, “Vroom Vroom Thanks For Coming” by the shortbread party favor cookies, “Refueling Station” by the drinks, “Concession Stand” by the vegetables and popcorn, “Finish Line” by the dessert bar, and “First Place” on Tripp’s high chair.

The menu consisted of an assortment of color coordinated candy, smash cake, chocolate, almond, and lemon pound cake, candy red apples, vegetable cups with hummus and ranch, popcorn, and shortbread cookies for the party favors. Refreshments of lemonade, ice tea, and water were displayed in glass pitchers and served in red cups with gray and white striped paper straws.